Family matters can become tricky, regardless of the century. While researching our guest of honor, I have learned some things about Jane Austen’s family.
You might enjoy the newsletter Caroline Jane Knight (a descendent of Edward Knight) writes here on Substack, Jane Austen's Niece. Caroline grew up at Chawton House, near the cottage that Edward Knight provided for his mother and sisters. She published most of her novels while living in that cottage, and it's now the Jane Austen House Museum.
I'm not sure what you mean by Jane's success contributing to Henry's depression. Alongside Cassandra, Henry ensured Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were printed after Jane's death, and he wrote the biographical (hagiographical!) note that finally credited Jane as the "Lady" who wrote her novels. Henry was proud of Jane, and it's thanks to him that we know who she is today. He wrote of her, "Faultless herself, as nearly as human nature can be, she always sought, in the faults of others, something to excuse, to forgive or forget....In short, her temper was as polished as her wit. Nor were her manners inferior to her temper. They were of the happiest kind. No one could be often in her company without a strong desire of obtaining her friendship, and cherishing a hope of having obtained it."
While I thoroughly agree that the way disabled people were discussed, treated, and erased in Austen's day is horrible, I think there's another way to view the Austen family's decision about George. The Austens could have locked George in the attic or sent him to a place like Bedlam, an institution for the mentally ill still remembered for its abuses. Instead, the Austens placed George in a stable home environment where he could spend his life in peace and security. For many years George was near to his family, and his care provided his foster family with an income. George did not have to live among his father's rowdy pupils that may have treated him inconsiderately. George's living situation might not be up to our modern standards, but the Austens chose the best option that their resources and society allowed. I like to think that he spent his life in relative peace, enjoying life in the countryside and comforts of a home, even if it was not his own.
Oh yes I have been reading her Substack and even tried to reach out! Maybe sometime she’ll reply. She’s written some fantastic essays!
I didn’t know that bit about Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, but I’ve not made it to the end of the biography yet, so that’s on me haha. Thanks for the heads-up!
Yes I do hope that George had a lovely, peaceful countryside life.
It would be so cool if you could be in touch! I hope she gets back to you!
Henry's tribute is so sweet (even if it's a bit exaggerated--faultless, really? My brother would never say that bout me, haha) and it's available in full online if it's not included in the biography, well worth the short read.
Yes I asked her if she would like to write a guest post this month (or whenever) because I’m focusing on Austen. She hasn’t gotten back to me yet but I’ll keep commenting on her posts until she notices me haha!
Yeah haha. I do wonder what Henry was like though in person. I’m truly wishing time travel was possible!
Yes, I scarcely think Edward was distant from the rest of the Austen’s when he provided a home for them not far from him at all. Plus there’s all the nieces memories of Jane. I got to visit Chawton House last April and had the most amazing time.
It was a lovely warm spring day and I took a ton of photos. They had a massive pieced quilt that Jane, Cassandra and her mother made, plus some of her actual clothing. I guess it’s handy to become famous before you die, people hang on to stuff. So much inspiration for the time period.
That sounds so lovely! A lot of my post is just speculation; the book I’m reading did say that Jane and James were the family members who almost never visited Edward, and she suggested that it was a matter of pride, of them not liking to be the “poorer” family members. Of course there could be different reasons. The truth might have been in the letters Cassandra buried 🥲🥲
Thank you for reading! I love history for this reason - discovering things, even if they aren’t all happy. The truth is a gem whether it’s sad or happy. Xx
Having had seizures daily for ten years (with correct diagnosis and med changes I am down to a few a year) I thought to research it some time ago. At this time there were still religious hardliners who thought epilepsy was a sign of evil or possession, but mostly the tables had turned back to the Hippocrates idea that it was a brain illness. I’m afraid many were operated on to prevent them ever having children, but there were more or less comfortable “hospitals,” small care homes, if you could afford to send your family member there. The primary method of care seems to have been a strict diet and routine to try to prevent a change in one’s “vapors.”
I’m sorry to hear that you also struggle with them, but I’m also glad that you’re doing better. I can definitely see how the hyper religious would misinterpret such things if they did not know what it actually was. I hope that George was sent to a nice place with people who treated him with love & respect; I just thought it so unfair that they attempted to erase his name from the family tree. I wonder if there are sources somewhere that can tell us more about how his life went on after that.
Interesting. Do you know about George's foster family or life after leaving the Austens? In a society where such a disability was a "black mark" why would someone foster him? Was his new life miserable or fruitful? I learned quite a bit about Jane Austen last year when I read "The Secret Sisterhood." Do you know of it? Thanks for this tidbit too.
I don’t know anything about George’s life after he was sent away. It’s not elaborated (yet) in the book I’m reading. If I learn more I’ll share! Thanks for the comment :)
Wow! Thank you! Enjoyed this little bit of history and notes how it was also embellished because of the perspectives of the day. You mentioned you were ‘not the only one disappointed’ at the treatment of George but then went on to relate how Jane’s nephew went on to exacerbate the erasing of George from the family tree. So, I was left wondering “who else was disappointed?”
Thanks for the comment! I’m glad you enjoyed it! When I added ‘not the only one disappointed’ I meant that a lot of modern fans would feel similarly as I do; I suppose I didn’t make that clear enough. Thanks for pointing that out!
I'm so glad to have read to the end of your post where you talk about George. It does shift my perceptions of Jane Austen...but with the understanding of how complex family and gender dynamics were then (not that they aren't now). And very moving conclusion: People with disabilities did and do matter.
You might enjoy the newsletter Caroline Jane Knight (a descendent of Edward Knight) writes here on Substack, Jane Austen's Niece. Caroline grew up at Chawton House, near the cottage that Edward Knight provided for his mother and sisters. She published most of her novels while living in that cottage, and it's now the Jane Austen House Museum.
I'm not sure what you mean by Jane's success contributing to Henry's depression. Alongside Cassandra, Henry ensured Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were printed after Jane's death, and he wrote the biographical (hagiographical!) note that finally credited Jane as the "Lady" who wrote her novels. Henry was proud of Jane, and it's thanks to him that we know who she is today. He wrote of her, "Faultless herself, as nearly as human nature can be, she always sought, in the faults of others, something to excuse, to forgive or forget....In short, her temper was as polished as her wit. Nor were her manners inferior to her temper. They were of the happiest kind. No one could be often in her company without a strong desire of obtaining her friendship, and cherishing a hope of having obtained it."
While I thoroughly agree that the way disabled people were discussed, treated, and erased in Austen's day is horrible, I think there's another way to view the Austen family's decision about George. The Austens could have locked George in the attic or sent him to a place like Bedlam, an institution for the mentally ill still remembered for its abuses. Instead, the Austens placed George in a stable home environment where he could spend his life in peace and security. For many years George was near to his family, and his care provided his foster family with an income. George did not have to live among his father's rowdy pupils that may have treated him inconsiderately. George's living situation might not be up to our modern standards, but the Austens chose the best option that their resources and society allowed. I like to think that he spent his life in relative peace, enjoying life in the countryside and comforts of a home, even if it was not his own.
Oh yes I have been reading her Substack and even tried to reach out! Maybe sometime she’ll reply. She’s written some fantastic essays!
I didn’t know that bit about Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, but I’ve not made it to the end of the biography yet, so that’s on me haha. Thanks for the heads-up!
Yes I do hope that George had a lovely, peaceful countryside life.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!
It would be so cool if you could be in touch! I hope she gets back to you!
Henry's tribute is so sweet (even if it's a bit exaggerated--faultless, really? My brother would never say that bout me, haha) and it's available in full online if it's not included in the biography, well worth the short read.
Yes I asked her if she would like to write a guest post this month (or whenever) because I’m focusing on Austen. She hasn’t gotten back to me yet but I’ll keep commenting on her posts until she notices me haha!
Yeah haha. I do wonder what Henry was like though in person. I’m truly wishing time travel was possible!
Yes, I scarcely think Edward was distant from the rest of the Austen’s when he provided a home for them not far from him at all. Plus there’s all the nieces memories of Jane. I got to visit Chawton House last April and had the most amazing time.
Omg really?! What was it like there?
It was a lovely warm spring day and I took a ton of photos. They had a massive pieced quilt that Jane, Cassandra and her mother made, plus some of her actual clothing. I guess it’s handy to become famous before you die, people hang on to stuff. So much inspiration for the time period.
That sounds so lovely! A lot of my post is just speculation; the book I’m reading did say that Jane and James were the family members who almost never visited Edward, and she suggested that it was a matter of pride, of them not liking to be the “poorer” family members. Of course there could be different reasons. The truth might have been in the letters Cassandra buried 🥲🥲
Well done! I agree with Litcuzzwords.
Thank you for reading! I love history for this reason - discovering things, even if they aren’t all happy. The truth is a gem whether it’s sad or happy. Xx
Having had seizures daily for ten years (with correct diagnosis and med changes I am down to a few a year) I thought to research it some time ago. At this time there were still religious hardliners who thought epilepsy was a sign of evil or possession, but mostly the tables had turned back to the Hippocrates idea that it was a brain illness. I’m afraid many were operated on to prevent them ever having children, but there were more or less comfortable “hospitals,” small care homes, if you could afford to send your family member there. The primary method of care seems to have been a strict diet and routine to try to prevent a change in one’s “vapors.”
I’m sorry to hear that you also struggle with them, but I’m also glad that you’re doing better. I can definitely see how the hyper religious would misinterpret such things if they did not know what it actually was. I hope that George was sent to a nice place with people who treated him with love & respect; I just thought it so unfair that they attempted to erase his name from the family tree. I wonder if there are sources somewhere that can tell us more about how his life went on after that.
Thank you for your comment 🤍
Interesting. Do you know about George's foster family or life after leaving the Austens? In a society where such a disability was a "black mark" why would someone foster him? Was his new life miserable or fruitful? I learned quite a bit about Jane Austen last year when I read "The Secret Sisterhood." Do you know of it? Thanks for this tidbit too.
I don’t know anything about George’s life after he was sent away. It’s not elaborated (yet) in the book I’m reading. If I learn more I’ll share! Thanks for the comment :)
Wow! Thank you! Enjoyed this little bit of history and notes how it was also embellished because of the perspectives of the day. You mentioned you were ‘not the only one disappointed’ at the treatment of George but then went on to relate how Jane’s nephew went on to exacerbate the erasing of George from the family tree. So, I was left wondering “who else was disappointed?”
Thanks for the comment! I’m glad you enjoyed it! When I added ‘not the only one disappointed’ I meant that a lot of modern fans would feel similarly as I do; I suppose I didn’t make that clear enough. Thanks for pointing that out!
Ah, okay. Have to admit you left me hanging there. :-)
I edited the article to clarify that bit xx thanks for pointing it out!
Such an interesting read, Mariella !
Well done on the essay! Your reflective style brings people to life.
I'm so glad to have read to the end of your post where you talk about George. It does shift my perceptions of Jane Austen...but with the understanding of how complex family and gender dynamics were then (not that they aren't now). And very moving conclusion: People with disabilities did and do matter.